With the state’s second-worst wildland fire season looming large in Alaskans’ memories, Governor Mike Dunleavy has proclaimed Wildland Fire Prevention and Preparedness Week (May 10-16) to help reduce the risk of a replay this summer. The governor, along with fire managers with the Alaska Division of Forestry, is urging Alaskans to take personal responsibility for […]
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Governor Dunleavy urges Alaskans to prepare for, prevent wildfires
May 11, 2020 
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First retardant drop of season helps stop wildfire threatening cabins near Ninilchik
May 11, 2020 Comments Off on First retardant drop of season helps stop wildfire threatening cabins near Ninilchik
The Alaska Division of Forestry deployed its first air retardant tanker of the season on Sunday to help combat a small wildfire threatening cabins in the Caribou Hills near Ninilchik on the Kenai Peninsula. State Forestry wildland firefighters and firefighters from Ninilchik Emergency Services were called to a report of a grass fire near Mile […]
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Small campfires are OK during burn permit suspension but use caution
May 7, 2020 Comments Off on Small campfires are OK during burn permit suspension but use caution
Wildland fire technicians from Mat-Su Area Forestry responded to King Mountain State Recreation Site near Sutton on Wednesday and discovered five abandoned campfires that were still burning or smoldering. Fortunately, none of the campfires escaped to start a wildfire and our technicians were able to quickly extinguish them. While campfires less than 3 feet in […]
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About 60% of prescribed burning to reduce the threat of wildfire on Interior Alaska military training lands complete
May 5, 2020 Comments Off on About 60% of prescribed burning to reduce the threat of wildfire on Interior Alaska military training lands complete
About 60 percent of prescribed burning to reduce the threat of wildfire on military training lands in Interior Alaska is complete with the rest targeted for completion sometime in the next two weeks – as long as the weather cooperates.
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Even with burn permit suspension in place, State Forestry responds to 14 new wildfires over the weekend
May 4, 2020 Comments Off on Even with burn permit suspension in place, State Forestry responds to 14 new wildfires over the weekend
Despite a burn permit suspension that went into effect for much of the state on Friday, May 1, wildland firefighters from the Alaska Division of Forestry responded to 14 new wildfires around the state on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Several of those fires were the result of illegal burning activities, such as burn barrels and […]
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Trumpeter Fire in Point MacKenzie expected to be fully contained today
May 1, 2020 Comments Off on Trumpeter Fire in Point MacKenzie expected to be fully contained today
Firefighters should achieve full containment of the 130-acre Trumpeter Fire in Point MacKenzie by the end of shift today, according to the Alaska Division of Forestry. The fire was reported to be 75 percent contained as of Friday morning. The 50 firefighters working on the fire have begun mop-up operations to seek out and extinguish […]
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Containment on Trumpeter Fire in Point MacKenzie bumped up to 40 percent
April 30, 2020 Comments Off on Containment on Trumpeter Fire in Point MacKenzie bumped up to 40 percent
Firefighters on Thursday continued making good headway in containing the 120-acre Trumpeter Fire burning in the Point MacKenzie area of the Mat-Su Valley. As of 5 p.m., the fire had not increased in size and containment had bumped up from 25 to 40 percent. Fire managers were expecting more containment before the end of shift […]
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Burn operations planned on military training lands in Fairbanks North Star Borough to reduce wildfire threat
April 30, 2020 Comments Off on Burn operations planned on military training lands in Fairbanks North Star Borough to reduce wildfire threat
Starting as early as Saturday, the Bureau of Land Management Alaska Fire Service (BLM AFS), in cooperation with U.S. Army Alaska (USARAK), could start setting prescribed fires on Fort Wainwright and the Yukon Training Area (YTA) to reduce the likelihood of a large wildfire on military training lands this summer. The areas identified for the prescribed […]
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Trumpeter Fire in Point MacKenzie 25% contained; firefighters making good progress
April 30, 2020 Comments Off on Trumpeter Fire in Point MacKenzie 25% contained; firefighters making good progress
An approximately 120-acre wildfire burning in the Point MacKenzie area of the Mat-Su Valley is 25 percent contained and more than 50 firefighters from the Alaska Division of Forestry are continuing work to increase containment. The Trumpeter Fire is burning in a remote area off South Trumpeter Drive in Point MacKenzie, approximately 20 miles southwest […]
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Mat-Su firefighters responding to second grass fire in two days in Point MacKenzie area
April 29, 2020 Comments Off on Mat-Su firefighters responding to second grass fire in two days in Point MacKenzie area
UPDATE – 10 p.m. – Firefighters are making good progress getting a hose line around the perimeter of the Trumpeter Fire. The latest size estimate is 50 acres and the fire is 25% contained. A second helicopter has been added to assist with suppression efforts. Structure protection measures have been put in place for the […]
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